Tomatoes and Truth
by ShardsandAshes
Summary: Tomato picking leads to a quiet revelation.


**Disclaimer****: I don't own it, and I make no money off of it. Please don't sue me.**

**AN****: This drabble is AU and takes place about four years after the Battle of Hogwarts. The pairing is Minerva McGonagall/Hermione Granger, but they are not married. There is a background non-canon Pomona Sprout/Filius Flitwick pairing, and they are married. This drabble was inspired by picking tomatoes a few days ago. **

They had titles. They had responsibilities that went along with those titles. And they had personas that went along with those responsibilities. That was the side of them that the students knew. That was the side of them that the wizarding world thought of when it spoke of the most feared yet most respected women at Hogwarts.

But sometimes, they weren't those people. Sometimes, they weren't the masks they presented to the world. Sometimes, they weren't a headmistress and a professor. Sometimes, they weren't recipients of the Order of Merlin. Sometimes they weren't the holders of multiple masteries, and the only women able to bend the Hogwarts' Board of Governors to their will.

Sometimes, they were just Minerva and Hermione. Sometimes they were just two women picking tomatoes together in Pomona's greenhouse. It was still Pomona's greenhouse. Pomona had said that she would retire in a few years, but she wasn't gone yet. Minerva was elbow deep in rich soil, pausing in planting the newest tomato seedling to stare across the humid room at Hermione.

It was the first time in a while that Pomona had actually watched Minerva's face. She'd known Minerva since their shared years at Hogwarts, and she'd assumed she'd seen every expression that the elder woman could make. But the look in Minerva's green eyes was something new.

There had been rumors floating around about the relationship between Minerva and Hermione since the younger woman had returned to Hogwarts to take over transfiguration. But the two women were held in such high esteem that even Rita Skeeter didn't dare to raise the issue. Indeed, everyone seemed to take it for granted that Minerva simply had no interest in romantic love at this point in her life. Minerva had given her heart to the school, and that was the end of the matter. Clearly, she and Hermione were simply good friends.

Minerva's expression proved, however, that the opposite was more likely true. The way that Minerva was looking at Hermione was the same expression that Pomona saw every day when her husband Filius looked at her.

Pomona watched as Minerva nearly smirked as her gaze traveled appreciatively over Hermione's shapely form. That lovely form was made all the more lovely by the shorts and tank top she wore that saw fit to cling to her in the humidity of the greenhouse. A soft, low sound, rather like the rumble of a cat's purr, escaped from Minerva.

Then she felt Pomona's hand on her wrist.

Startled, she met her best friend's eyes. The look in them was amused affection, and Minerva sighed as she realized what Pomona had just figured out. Before the other woman could ask the question, she answered.

"Hermione and I are together," she muttered, feeling a blush coloring her face as unaccustomed shyness made her glance away.

Pomona's gentle laugh drew her eyes back. "That's wonderful! Minerva, why in Merlin's name are you embarrassed? You of all people deserve to be loved!"

Minerva's reply was cut off abruptly as Hermione crept up behind her, slipping her arms around Minerva's waist and pulling her close.

"I have spent the past months trying to convince her of that. Maybe she will listen to you since she does not seem inclined to listen to me," Hermione said, her chuckle taking all the sting out of her words.

Minerva sighed, leaning back against Hermione. "I still don't understand this."

Now, it was Hermione's turn to sigh. "Min, love isn't meant to be dissected like an arithmantic equation. That's something I've had to accept." She paused, turning the elder witch to face her as Pomona watched. "I love you. Can't that be enough?"

The kiss that followed was all the answer that Hermione needed.


End file.
